


Mother Nature Plays Matchmaker

by KawaiiKitsune13



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Car Trouble, Cuddling & Snuggling, F/M, Strangers to Lovers, and new love, and then there was snow, bughead to the rescue, just some sweet fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-01
Updated: 2020-01-01
Packaged: 2021-02-27 09:22:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,894
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22064719
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KawaiiKitsune13/pseuds/KawaiiKitsune13
Summary: All Betty Cooper wants while enjoying the last dreds of her annual winter holiday stay-vacation is to eat pizza and ride out the incoming blizzard in peace. Recharge after the frantic background of the holidays, family drama and parties. After the elements interfere, Betty is forced to temporarily open her home to a stranger and doesn't regret it.
Relationships: Betty Cooper/Jughead Jones
Comments: 9
Kudos: 33
Collections: 7th Bughead Fanfiction Awards - Nominees, Bughead Secret Santa, Home for the HoliDale





	Mother Nature Plays Matchmaker

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Ithoughtyoulikedmereckless](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ithoughtyoulikedmereckless/gifts).



> This is for Rachel or @ithoughtyoulikedmereckless, my gift receiver. Thank you for being so kind when I brought up asine things in the asks. And for this being a tad late. My clock says 2 am rn. Happy New Year!

Betty pulled back the curtain quickly before letting it go. Awaiting dinner was proving to be a lesson in patience.

The snow made a normally 30 minute delivery just a little over an hour now. The driver’s safety is more important than how the contents will be lukewarm. And being able to munch on it and have leftovers for breakfast would be worth it in the end. 

It had been a white Christmas and that has its charms. But since Christmas was a week ago and now this is the third snowstorm of the year- her pros section on each list has dwindled.

Pros

\- Snow is pretty

\- Childhood nostalgia 

\- The perfect setting to drink cocoa from

\- Excuse to wear the leather gloves V bought me 

Cons

\- It’s freezing

\- Hard to get up from bed cocoon and adult

\- Bad road conditions 

\- Having to wear so many layers that you sweat and then your sweat turns cold and then not be able to strip down to your T-shirt because of pit stains

\- The eyes mutation away from brown means light colors inherit sensitivity so sunlight on snow equals pain

\- It wasn’t even going to ebb until late tomorrow according to the news. 

She shivered and tried to stay busy by queueing what to watch while eating. Betty was debating between the ever-dependable New Girl and a thriller when the phone rang. 

She answered, “Hello, who is this?”

A staticky low voice entered her ears, “Cooper?”

“Uh yes, this is Betty Cooper. Are you from Romano’s?” 

“Yep. It’s hard to tell with all the snow, which side of the road is your apartment complex on.” 

She ducked to the window. "Are you the 2010 Chevy Silverado?” 

“That’s me.”

Betty cleared her throat, “Well you’re on the other side.” 

“Gotcha.” Betty pressed end call before pulling on her coat and essentials.

Jogging down, she pushed down her sleeves at the brisk lobby air. Spotting the delivery boy, she smiled. “Sorry about the drive out.” He accepted her cash and transferred the ownership of the pizza. 

“You have pizza needs and we but-live to serve.” His wry tone made Betty jolt, the phone truly didn’t do him justice. 

“Well noble calling aside, thank you.” 

“Drive safe.” Betty sprinted back up to her warm apartment. Sitting down after taking her coat off, she put the pizza on her table, not even bothering to grab a plate for the first slice. New Girl it is. 

Her phone rang again and she sighed. “Yeah, hello.”

“Hi. I’m sorry I have no idea what to do. Can I come up there while I call my boss and a mechanic? My car won’t start.”

“Oh my gosh sure. Uh, just take a pic of your driver’s license and send it to me real quick and then I’ll let you in.”

He huffed a laugh. “Safety first, but my name is Jughead, okay?” 

She nodded before realizing he couldn’t see her, “Understood.” 

“Alright then I’ll send it off and thanks.” She got up once her phone pinged and she sent the photo to her cousin. 

At lightning speeds, another text arrived.

C: _Are you asking me to order a hit on him?_

_No, he’s my pizza delivery guy._

C: _Ah… he’s your escort. Good on you to guarantee some pleasure. I admire your plan for staying warm during such cold._

Betty went to respond but Cheryl was probably being obtuse on purpose and if not- she wouldn’t believe that she misunderstood. 

Betty just shook her head and put her phone down, opening the door. Jughead. Or Forsythe but apparently saying that aloud is a no-go. “Hi. Come on in, Jughead.”

He nodded and then hesitated. Jughead rubbed his hands and scuffed his feet on her welcome mat before walking in. 

Betty was stunned by how tall he was. When she had grabbed the pizza they were on the stairs so she was looking down at him. Now his height felt jarring. 

Betty froze before her manners made her move automatically. He was shivering, subtly but still. 

“Here. give me your coat.” 

“No,” he cleared his throat. “No reason to get you wet. Where do you want me to hang it up?”

Betty gestured to the door hooks and he blushed. It was obvious against his olive complexion. 

He fixed the dripping denim on the door before adjusting his hat, grimacing when the wet cold snowflakes bedecking it transferred to his hand. 

He took it off, revealing his black hair with a few damp strands beginning to curl but didn’t hang it next to his coat. 

After a couple of seconds of him fidgeting and holding the soaked beanie, Betty intervened.

“Do you want me to put in the dryer real quick? It’ll be a very low setting.” 

He exhaled and his shoulders slumped, dragging his hand through his damp hair, unaware how her attention snapped to watch his movements. “Yeah, that would be great.”

Betty stammered. “I-I’ll just put in there on... on delicate for 5 minutes and air dry it the rest to be safe.”

Thank god Veronica insisted on buying that washer dryer set based on the solid argument of “what if I spill something on silk over here. It would need to be washed straight away. I’m just being practical Betty.”

It was Veronica spoiling her, Betty recognized the sentiment and today she was twice as grateful for the gift. 

She returned from her beanie rescue to Jughead’s high and curt voice. “Are you kidding me Tall Boy! I am stranded and you won’t let Fangs pick me up?” 

He snorted to whatever the other person had to say, “Too dangerous for him on the roads but my hide is okay to risk. You even gave me the other side of town ticket.”

Another pause and Jughead’s face skewed up. “Yeah, I read you loud and clear asshole.”

Jughead put down his phone and his body slumped before his hand returned to his neck. 

Turning he spotted her and sighed, “I’m sorry Betty. No one will come to tow my car and my boss isn’t letting anyone come for me either. I’ll...” His arm dropped and his voice seemed to drip with frustration as he continued. 

“I’ll pay you standard hotel rates and everything but I don’t think I’ll be able to leave soon.” 

Betty softened and took a few steps toward him. “That’s unnecessary. It’s a blizzard, I get it. Besides, if this was your murder script, you are very sloppy. The driver’s license makes you the obvious culprit so I feel fine safety-wise.”

He huffed before grinning, “Heaven forbid, I pull off a reckless crime while you are judging me but yeah, you’re safe.”

They shared small smiles before lapsing into silence. 

This was so awkward. She shifted from side to side before an idea popped in her brain. Jumping up, she got another blanket from her bedroom and gave him the one she was previously using. And determinedly sat down. 

“Grab a seat and help me pick a show. Oh! There is non-alcoholic apple cider, lemonade, Gatorade, cranberry juice and grapefruit juice in the fridge. And I have supplies for tea, hot chocolate or coffee as well.”

Going over the list in her head, there was also V’s leftover kombucha but that didn’t seem in Jughead’s alley. 

“I was debating what to watch. How about you suggest something? I’ll have veto rights of course.”

He nods, “Do you mind gore?” 

“No, but I do favor tv shows with easy plots and minimal angst.”

“Well, then how about a family-oriented wacky zombie show?”

Betty pretended to mull it over, “I am intrigued... Okay, pull it up,”

We both grabbed a slice and settled in with our blankets before he pressed play.

<><><><><>

“Oh my gosh!” She looks over at Jughead and sees he is grinning at her. “Oh my gosh!”

“So you liked it then?” Betty answers his smugness by pressing next episode. 

Jughead grabs the last slice and gestures to her. “Are you sure?”

Betty waves her hand, “go ahead.” 

He beams, “I promise I’ll personally deliver you another pie after this blizzard since I consumed your planned breakfast leftovers.”

Betty blinks, almost stunned by how warm his lighthearted smile makes her feel. Good thing that he is all doom and gloom with a splash of exhaustion because boyish Jughead was a knockout. 

<><><><><>

“I’m going to make some hot chocolate. Do you want any?” 

“No thanks.” Betty was still nursing her glass of lemonade and nudges it in his direction. “Chocolate wouldn’t mix well with this.”

When Jughead comes back from the kitchen, he’s holding a cup of hot chocolate for himself with a large marshmallow plunked in the middle like a lone glacier... and a steaming cup of mint tea. It took a second for Betty to realize who the tea was for. But as she grasped the outstretched mug, a warmth flourished that had nothing to do with the heated cup. 

He ducked his head a bit and plopped down next to her. “I, uh like your collection.” 

Betty turned to the bookcase, “Thank you! If anyone of them, in particular, catches your fancy, feel free to borrow it.” 

She playfully narrows her eyes, “Just no page bookmarking!” Betty could feel her lips thinning in horror, “I have bookmarks if you need them.” 

Jughead laughed. Staring at her warmly for a moment before he straightened, “I promise Betts.” 

“Thank you.” The words felt soft and Betty realized she felt that way towards him. 

<><><><><>

“You don’t exactly have a lot of family portraits, I only see a couple with your sister?” 

“Yeah, that’s Polly. However, the redhead is my cousin.” 

“Ah, what a crushing defeat!” He clutched his chest for a moment. “Drama queen.”

He smirked but accepted the truth. “Discluding the redhead, you look a lot alike. Are you both clones of one parent or is it a genetic mix that happened twice?”

Betty gathered her hair into her signature ponytail in an attempt to steady herself but when she looked into his now serious eyes, she burst. 

“Our mother, I suppose. But she doesn’t know the meaning of privacy and honestly is horrible enough that I have a restraining order on her. And my father is in jail.” Betty immediately snapped her mouth shut but the words were out there floating between them. 

Jughead stiffened and then breathed out deeply. “My dad was in jail for 10 years and my mom’s no saint either.” 

He slowly takes her closest hand in his, “It’s the holiday season, everyone thinks about their family more, even the ones they’ve had to let go of. And I prodded a bruise in the first place. Please don’t feel ashamed of what you told me, Betty.” 

She nodded, processing what he shared and his touch.

<><><><><>

Betty got up and stretched. She walked to her drying rack in her bedroom and checked on the status. After a brief round of testing, she wandered up to him. He looked up from _Still Life_ at her voice. _“_ Your beanie is done!” And she placed in on the book.

He put it on his head, flattening each side down, the moves instinctive. “Thank you.”

She sat down, closer to his side than before, enjoying how settled he now was. And when he didn’t pick up the book again, she decided to initiate a conversation. 

“So what did you do for the holidays?”

Jughead winced slightly, “I visited my father for Christmas Eve and my mother and sister for Christmas Day. Both days went much better than expected. How about you?”

“Christmas was with my sister, her babies and their father. The Eve was with V.”

“So they both sucked.”

She scowled, “I did not say that.”

“You’re avoiding the question that follows up hence your answer will not be rave reviews.”

“It was fine, I mean I get upset when I see how strained Polly and I are, not like when we were little. And as I briefly see them seemingly spurt up, I hope I get more time with my nieces. But overall not bad, leaps and bounds from last Christmas.”

“Eve must have been a disaster then.”

“Oh, fine Sherlock.”

He laughed “I feel like you’re better suited to be Sherlock detective skills-wise. I am more abrasive socially.” 

Betty slumped, “It’s stupid.”

“I remain unconvinced.” 

“I- well, my close friend V is well off. Since family-wise, I don’t have a lot of options, I spent Christmas Eve with her. She brought me as her plus two to a charity ball.” 

His eyes widened a bit, “Wow.” 

“I mean it was interesting. I got to spend time getting pampered most of the day with my best friend, that part was great. But dinner felt stifling and too close to the judging and calorie counting of past years- just strangers filling in for my mom in her absence. And V’s important in that social sphere so it’s not like a sleepover, she was constantly swept into an important discussion with other fancy people. So I ended up by myself mostly with a crowd of glamorous strangers. I knew none of them and I don’t really think I want too anyway. A very glam yet awkward and lonely Christmas Eve.” 

“None of that was stupid Betty.” His voice had deepened and she wanted to look at his face but something held her back.

“Yeah? Okay well this bit definitely is… I really wanted someone to ask me to dance.”

He raised his eyebrows and she smiled bashfully. “Told you. Very silly but I was at a ball! One should dance when you attend a ball. And no one asked me the whole night. The night ended and no name written on my dance card. And it was partially my fault. I could have asked someone, anyone but I was too afraid that I would get rejected and ruin my whole night so instead I beat myself up all night and worked myself into a mess and the night was ruined anyway.”

Jughead looked at me and sighed, “none of that was stupid. Just how no one asked you to dance. And I’m sorry you didn’t have a good Christmas Eve- no matter how boujee the setting was. It’s not like I don’t get fear of rejection. Let’s right two wrongs. Come on.”

He got off the couch and pulled out his phone. After messing with it for a minute, he looked back up into my eyes and held out his hand. “May I have this dance?”

Betty stared, transfixed at the sight of his welcoming fingers and future possibilities ahead of her. 

“Dance with me Betts.”

She snapped to attention, her hand fitting in his and rose from the couch almost unable to look away. “Yes.”

He tapped his phone and then tossed it on the couch. A familiar Florence and the Machine song started up. “I didn’t peg this.” 

Jughead pulled her into the line of his body, their bodies a snug embrace, swaying together. “I mean, you’re not wrong. There is Nirvana on that playlist after all but my sister likes her and I do too.”

Betty laughed before settling in, her forehead nuzzling his neck. And she stayed there through Weezer, The Neighborhood, Linkin Park, Muse...

They danced for over half an hour until his playlist ran out. When the music stopped her head had relocated to his chest, focusing on his heartbeat and occasional humming, deliriously happy. 

“Thank you, Betty. For being my first dance.”

She reluctantly left her spot and looked into his eyes before he shifted back slightly. She smiled, a little wistful but still genuine, “You’re certainly welcome. Thank you for the dance-dances. They were lovely.” 

Betty turned away and sipped her nearby water. “I’ll help you get set-up for bed. I have some spare- if not a bit dusty blankets and of course a clean sheet. Oh! And a sweatshirt that would fit you.”

Jughead chuckled, “I’ll be warm enough with one more blanket Betty.” 

She pinned him with her stern gaze. “I don’t care what you’ve made do with before Juggie. I’ll give you what I can give you, nothing less.” 

He redirected his eyes to the floor and tugged his beanie down. Betty sighed, “what are new friends for if not to get at least a month of feigned acceptance when you nag them.”

She felt like Veronica but it was worth it when Jughead’s gaze rose and cheeks pinked. 

Betty went off to collect the necessary warmth providing materials before he had the chance to protest again. Her mission successful as he was in the bathroom when she made the drop-off. And with that taken care of, Betty got herself ready for bed. 

She was reaching for the light when her phone pinged. Upon opening it, she was graced with a selfie of jughead, snug in a small mountain of blankets. Her loaned sweatshirt-she knew it would fit him- was visible as well as his beanie which she found endearing. Bedhead plus hat hair did not seem ideal but even though she had only met him today, it felt so Jughead. 

The caption was simple: _goodnight Betts_ and yet as she turned off her light and drifted off to sleep, Betty didn’t feel the cold at all. 

**Author's Note:**

> Welp. Part two (the last part) will be out on the 5th.


End file.
